Panoramic Camera With Multiple Image Sensors Using Timed Shutters

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the field of panoramic still and motion photography. In a first embodiment, a camera apparatus for panoramic photography includes a first image sensor positioned to capture a first image. The first image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. The camera apparatus also includes second image sensor positioned to capture a second image. The second image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. Finally, the camera apparatus includes a controller configured to signal the second image sensor to start capturing the second image before the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image. At least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of the camera apparatus.

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/368,014 filed Feb. 9, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Appl. No. 61/027,237, filed Feb. 8, 2008, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of panoramic still and motion photography.

2. Related Art

Imaging systems exist that include more than one camera in a rosette formation attached to a vehicle. Those imaging systems may be used to capture panoramic images, for example, along a street. Each camera includes an entrance pupil. Having multiple entrance pupils at different locations can cause spatial parallax. Parallax refers to a perceived shift of an imaged object against a background caused by the different viewpoints of the entrance pupils of the cameras. Parallax is a particular problem when stitching together images from multiple cameras, since it can cause ghosting of foreground objects when background objects are aligned in the region where adjacent images overlap.

Mirrors have been used to avoid parallax in panoramic imaging. For example, Disney's Circle-Vision 360° system uses mirrors to view the world through multiple co-located entrance pupils. This can result in zero parallax. However, making and using the necessary large mirrors is difficult. Also, this technique limits the vertical field of view.

Each camera in the rosette formation includes an image sensor that converts an optical signal into an electrical signal to form an image. Two types of image sensors avoid the need for a mechanical shutter—an interline-shutter charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

The CMOS sensor typically has a rolling shutter, which exposes different lines of the scene at slightly different times, in a sequence that rolls across the image. The rolling shutter can lead to image distortion, such as warping, when the camera is moving relative to the scene or subject. Some work has been done to compensate for the image distortion. Wilburn et al. describes using a rolling shutter timing offset to process and correct distortions induced by motion of a subject of an image. See Wilburn et al., “High-Speed Videography Using a Dense Camera Array”, 2004 IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR'04), Vol. 2, pp. 294-301

The interline-shutter CCD avoids the image distortion issues of the rolling shutter CMOS sensor. However, the interline-shutter CCD can suffer from blooming and streaking. Blooming and streaking occur when a portion of the sensor is over-exposed, causing light to spillover to adjacent pixels or into the readout CCD structure.

What is needed is an imaging apparatus that reduces distortion and spatial parallax, while avoiding the blooming and streaking issues associated with CCDs.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention relates to the field of panoramic still and motion photography. In a first embodiment, a camera apparatus for panoramic photography includes a first image sensor positioned to capture a first image. The first image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. The camera apparatus also includes second image sensor positioned to capture a second image. The second image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. Finally, the camera apparatus includes a controller configured to signal the second image sensor to start capturing the second image before the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image. At least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of the camera apparatus.

In a second embodiment, a method for panoramic photography includes the steps of: capturing a first image with a first image sensor and starting to capture a second image with a second image sensor prior to completion of the capturing of the first image. The first and second image sensors have a rolling-shutter readouts arranged in landscape orientation. At least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of a camera apparatus comprising the first and second image sensors.

In a third embodiment, a camera apparatus for motion photography includes a first camera having a first entrance pupil. During forward motion of the camera apparatus, the first camera captures a first image. A camera apparatus also includes a second camera having a second entrance pupil. During the forward motion of the camera apparatus, the second camera captures a second image. Motion of the camera apparatus results in motion parallax. The timing of when the first camera captures a first image relative to when the second camera captures the second image uses the motion parallax to reduce the effect of spatial parallax between the first camera and the second camera.

In a fourth embodiment, a method for motion photography with a camera apparatus includes: capturing a first image with a first camera in the camera apparatus at a first time during forward motion of the camera apparatus, and capturing a second image with a second camera in the camera apparatus at a second time the during forward motion of the camera apparatus. Motion of the camera apparatus results in motion parallax. The timing of when the capturing (a) occurs relative to when the capturing (b) occurs uses the motion parallax to reduce the effect of spatial parallax between the first camera and the second camera.

In this way, embodiments of the present invention reduce distortion and spatial parallax,

Further embodiments, features, and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of the various embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

FIG. 1A includes a diagram illustrating a camera that includes a rolling-shutter CMOS sensor.

FIG. 1B includes a diagram illustrating a camera having a rolling-shutter CMOS sensor with groups of photodiodes arranged in columns substantially perpendicular to the ground, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A-C include diagrams illustrating a portion of a camera rosette which may be used in panoramic imaging, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 includes a diagram showing the operation of the camera rosette shown in FIGS. 2A-C in further detail.

FIGS. 4A-B show how positioning of the entrance pupils of a camera impacts parallax.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating timing the exposure of cameras in a camera rosette to reduce spatial parallax, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a camera rosette affixed to a vehicle.

The drawing in which an element first appears is typically indicated by the leftmost digit or digits in the corresponding reference number. In the drawings, like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of present invention reduce distortion and spatial parallax in panoramic images taken from a camera rosette affixed to a vehicle. Each camera in the camera rosette includes an image sensor. The image sensor may expose to capture an image while the vehicle is moving. This movement can cause distortion in the resulting image. In an embodiment of the present invention, the CMOS sensor is arranged in “portrait” orientation. As is described in detail below, this reduces the image distortion.

Having multiple cameras in different locations on the camera rosette can cause spatial parallax. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the motion parallax of the vehicle is employed to cancel out spatial parallax. In that embodiment, as the vehicle moves, exposure of the cameras in the camera rosette is timed such that the entrance pupils of the cameras are in approximately the same location when each sensor is exposed. This embodiment is described in detail below.

In the detailed description of the invention that follows, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

The term “camera rosette” used herein refers to two or more cameras arranged to capture a panoramic image. Each camera captures an image. The images may be stitched together to form the panoramic image. This stitching may, for example, be done by well-known software techniques.

The term “camera” used herein refers to a device that captures a photographic image. A camera includes an image sensor, and a lens having an entrance pupil.

The term “image sensor” used herein refers to a device that converts optical signals into electrical signals to capture an image when exposed.

FIG. 1A includes a diagram 100 illustrating a camera that includes a rolling-shutter CMOS image sensor. Diagram 100 shows a camera and its image sensor at two points in time. At a first point in time, the camera is at a position 102 and its image sensor is at a position 104. At a second point in time, the camera is at a position 112 and its image sensor is at a position 114. The dot in the figure represents the entrance pupil of the lens, and rays are shown projecting through it in the manner of a pinhole camera for simplicity.

In an example, the camera may be attached to a vehicle, and movement of the vehicle may have caused the camera to move. As mentioned above, the image sensor may be a rolling shutter CMOS sensor. A rolling shutter CMOS sensor may include groups of photodiodes that capture light and convert the light into electrical signals during exposure. A rolling shutter CMOS sensor may expose different groups of photodiodes at different times. A rolling shutter CMOS sensor has a readout time. The readout time is the time necessary to read out all the groups of photodiodes at the ends of their respective exposure times. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the CMOS sensor is in “landscape” orientation, meaning that the groups of photodiodes are arranged as rows running parallel to the ground.

The rolling shutter sensor may be exposed while the vehicle is in motion. In an example, a rolling shutter sensor may require 100 ms of readout time to capture an image. While the image is captured, the vehicle and camera may have moved forward 1 m. The movement causes the objects captured by the image sensor to change as shown at 106. This causes distortion in the resulting image. Because different rows of photodiodes in the CMOS sensors are exposed at different times, the image may appear warped, e.g. vertical features may be slanted. An image sensor that does not have a rolling shutter and is exposed in its entirety, such as an interline-shutter CCD sensor, may reduce or avoid warping. However, as mentioned earlier, interline-shutter CCD sensors may suffer from blooming and streaking.

To deal with the problem of warping due to rolling shutter sensors, embodiments of the present invention have rolling shutter image sensors arranged in “portrait” orientation as illustrated in FIG. 1B. FIG. 1B includes a diagram 150 illustrating a camera having a rolling-shutter sensor, such as a CMOS sensor, in portrait orientation. Portrait orientation means that the groups of photodiodes are arranged in columns running perpendicular to the ground.

Diagram 150 shows a camera at different positions at different points in time. As mentioned earlier, the camera may be affixed to a vehicle, and the vehicle may be in motion. In an embodiment of the invention, the columns of photodiodes are exposed back-to-front in object space and front-to-back in image space.

At a position 152, the camera exposes a forward-most photodiode column 156 to capture an image including a back-most field of view 154. Then, at a position 160, the camera exposes a photodiode column 158, which is behind photodiode column 156. This exposure captures a field of view 172, which is to the front of field of view 154. As the camera moves to a position 162 and a position 164, columns continue to expose in a front-to-back manner, which captures objects from back-to-front. Finally, when the camera is at a position 166, the camera exposes a back-most photodiode column 168 to capture an image including a forward-most field of view 170.

Positioning the image sensor in portrait orientation avoids the warping of vertical features that occurs in landscape orientation. Instead, objects may appear stretched by an amount that depends on their distance. Stretching is not as visually unappealing as warping. In fact, stretching may be a positive feature. Stretching makes foreground objects thinner with respect to background objects, rather than fatter, when the rolling shutter is arranged in the direction described. As result, the foreground objects occlude less of the scene behind them. This may be a benefit in many applications related to panoramic imaging.

Panoramic imaging often includes taking images from multiple cameras oriented in different directions. The multiple images may then be stitched together into a panorama using well-known software techniques. When multiple cameras are used in this way, an object may exist in the field of view of more than one camera. In motion photography, objects may move or change over time relative to the cameras. If multiple cameras expose the object at different times, then the object may appear differently in the multiple images to stitch together into a single panorama. The resulting panorama may have ghosting or other undesirable image problems. To deal with this, exposure needs to be coordinated between the multiple cameras to capture objects at the same time or close to the same time. This becomes even more challenging with rolling shutter image sensors because different portions of each image sensor are exposed as different times. To deal with this, embodiments of the present invention time exposure of multiple image sensors as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-C.

FIGS. 2A-C include diagrams illustrating a portion of a camera rosette, which may be used in panoramic imaging. Each camera in the camera rosette includes a rolling-shutter image sensor, such as a rolling-shutter CMOS sensor, in portrait orientation as described with respect to FIG. 1B.

FIG. 2A includes a diagram 200. Diagram 200 shows a camera rosette with cameras 202 and 210. For clarity, only two cameras are shown. However, in practice the rosette may contain a different number of cameras. Camera 202 has photodiode column 204 exposed to a field of view 220.

FIG. 2B includes a diagram 230. Diagram 230 shows the rosette shown in FIG. 2A at a later point in time. Camera 202 has a total field of view 224, and camera 210 has a total field of view 234. As camera 202 scans across field of view 224 back-to-front (in object space), camera 202 begins to expose photodiode columns from a group of photodiode columns 206. Group of columns 206 captures objects within field of view 222. Field of view 222 overlaps with camera 210's total field of view 234 for distant objects.

When camera 202 begins to expose photodiode columns from group of columns 206, camera 210 begins to expose photodiode columns from a group of photodiode columns 208. Camera 210 exposes photodiode columns in group of columns 208 back-to-front (in object space) to capture field of view 226. Field of view 226 overlaps with camera 202's total field of view 224 for distant objects. Effectively, camera 202 exposes photodiode columns in group of columns 206 simultaneously with camera 210 exposing photodiode columns in group of columns 208. When camera 202 completes exposure of group of columns 206, camera 202 finishes its exposure. However, camera 210 continues to expose photodiode columns, as shown FIG. 2C.

FIG. 2C shows a diagram 240. Diagram 240 shows the rosette shown in FIG. 2B at a later point in time after camera 202 has completed its exposure. In diagram 240, a photodiode column 232 is exposed, capturing a field of view 228. As camera 210 continues its exposure, it may overlap with an field of view with another camera (not shown) and the process may continue for an entire camera rosette as is described with respect to FIG. 3.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A-C is described with respect to an illustrative example. In an example, overlap field of view 222 for distant objects between camera 202 and camera 210 may be 10% of total field of view 224 of camera 202. In that example, the delay between the time when camera 202 starts exposure and the time when camera 210 starts exposure may be 90% of camera 202 readout time. Camera 202 and 210 may or may not have the same readout time. In an example where the readout time is 100 ms, the delay between the time when camera 202 starts exposure and the time when camera 210 starts exposure may be 90 ms.

The camera rosette may have at least one controller that synchronizes the cameras to capture images at specified time offsets. So, the controller may be pre-programmed with the delays indicating when each camera starts to capture an image.

In another embodiment, the delay time may be offset according to the vehicle's velocity. As is described below with respect to FIG. 5, this has the effect of using motion parallax from movement of the vehicle to cancel out spatial parallax caused by the multiple cameras.

As mentioned above, the operation of the two cameras described with respect to FIGS. 2A-C may continue through an entire camera rosette. In one embodiment, a camera rosette may have a total of between six and ten cameras, inclusive, positioned to capture a 360 degree panorama. In a preferred embodiment, the camera rosette may have at least eight cameras, such as the rosette illustrated with respect to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram 300 illustrating the operation of a camera rosette according to an embodiment of the present invention in further detail. In a preferred embodiment, a camera rosette may include nine cameras—eight in a horizontal ring, and one directed straight up. Diagram 300 shows the eight horizontal cameras. Each camera in the camera rosette includes a rolling shutter sensor in portrait orientation with columns of photodiodes.

The camera rosette begins capturing a panoramic image at the rear-most cameras 305 and 304. Both of the cameras 305 and 304 start by exposing the back most photodiodes columns (in object-space) and scan forward as described with respect to FIG. 1B. Cameras 306, 303 start capturing images at a time defined by a time delay as described with respect to FIG. 2B.

The rosette continues to scan forward until the forward-most cameras 301, 308 have completed scanning. Each camera starts at a time defined by the start of the adjacent camera to its rear plus a delay. For example, a camera 302 starts at a time defined by the start of camera 303 plus a delay. The delay may correspond to the size of the overlap in the field of view of adjacent cameras, as described with respect to FIG. 2B. The delay may also be offset according to the velocity of the vehicle, as is described with respect to FIG. 5.

Each of the eight cameras in FIG. 3 is at a different location and has an entrance pupil at a different location. Having entrance pupils at different locations causes spatial parallax as illustrated in FIGS. 4A-B.

FIGS. 4A-B show how the positioning of the entrance pupils of two cameras impacts spatial parallax. FIG. 4A shows an example imaging apparatus 400. Imaging apparatus 400 includes a camera 402 and a camera 404. Camera 402 has an entrance pupil 406, and camera 404 has an entrance pupil 408. Entrance pupil 406 and entrance pupil 408 are separated by a distance 426. Each camera 402, 404 captures an image including an object 410. However there is a wide difference in the background of object 410 as it appears in cameras 402, 404. This is shown by the large parallax angle 422.

FIG. 4B shows an example imaging apparatus 450. Imaging apparatus 450 includes a camera 416 and a camera 414. Camera 416 has an entrance pupil 418, and camera 414 has an entrance pupil 420. Entrance pupil 418 and entrance pupil 420 are separated by a distance 428. Distance 428 is shorter than distance 426 in FIG. 4A. Each camera 416, 414 captures an image including an object 412. There is a small difference in the background of object 412 as it appears in cameras 416, 414, as compared to cameras 402, 404 in FIG. 4A. This is shown by the parallax angle 424. Therefore, parallax angle 422 in FIG. 4B is less than parallax angle 424 in FIG. 4A.

Thus, two cameras being in different places can cause spatial parallax. Similarly, motion parallax is caused by a camera being in different locations at different times. According to an embodiment of the present invention, motion parallax caused by motion of a camera rosette by cancel out or reduce the effect of spatial parallax caused by the entrance pupils of the different cameras on the camera rosette being located at different locations. This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram 500 illustrating timing the exposure of cameras in a camera rosette to reduce parallax, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4A-B, as camera entrance pupils get closer together, the spatial parallax between the cameras decreases. Diagram 500 shows how to time the exposure of the cameras during motion of the vehicle so that each of the cameras is exposed when its entrance pupil is located at approximately the same location. As result, in diagram 500 the motion parallax caused by the moving vehicle reduces the spatial parallax due to multiple cameras.

Diagram 500 shows a portion of a camera rosette at three positions 510, 520, 530 at three different points in time. The camera rosette shown has three cameras 502, 504, and 506 shown. Cameras 502, 504, and 506 have entrance pupils 508, 514, and 512 respectively. For clarity, only three cameras are shown. However, in practice a different number of cameras may be used (e.g. 8 horizontal cameras and 9 total cameras in another embodiment).

In the embodiment in FIG. 5, the image sensors may or may not have rolling shutters. The embodiment may be useful with rolling shutters. However, the embodiment may also reduce parallax with image sensors having “global” shutter, such as an interline CCD or an image sensor using a mechanical shutter. The image capture is described as happening at an instant, even though there will be some exposure duration and a small motion blur as a result. At position 510, camera 502 captures an image. At position 510, camera 502's entrance pupil 508 is at a location 524. Each subsequent camera is timed to take an image when that camera's entrance pupil is approximately located at location 524.

During a later point in time as the vehicle is moving, the camera rosette reaches position 520. At position 520, entrance pupil 514 of camera 504 is approximately at location 524. At this point, camera 504 captures an image. Finally, at position 530 entrance pupil 512 of camera 506 reaches approximately location 524, and camera 506 captures an image.

The approximation may be due to inaccuracies in the vehicles velocity, or changes to the vehicle's direction. In an example, the approximation may be based on an average vehicle velocity as opposed to the actual velocity over the relevant period. Also, the approximation may be due to the fact that cameras are positioned two or three dimensionally on the camera rosette, whereas the movement of the rosette (e.g., on a vehicle) may be in only one direction. For example, in FIG. 5 entrance pupil 508 is not at precisely the same location as entrance pupil 514 because entrance pupil 508 are entrance pupil 514 are at different locations on the axis perpendicular to the axis of motion.

In another embodiment, a virtual plane is perpendicular to the direction of motion of a camera rosette. Each camera in a camera rosette may expose when an entrance pupil of the camera passes through the plane. In this way, each camera exposes when its entrance pupil is at approximately the same location, reducing parallax.

As noted earlier, the time to trigger each subsequent camera may be calculated according to vehicle velocity and a distance between the cameras, such as a distance 522. In the example shown, the delay from a time when camera 504 captures an image and a time when camera 506 captures an image is distance 522 divided by the vehicle's velocity. Supposing distance 522 was 10 cm and the vehicle velocity was 10 m/s, then the delay between the time when camera 504 captures an image and the time when camera 506 captures an image would be 10 ms. In other words, the further rear camera (camera 506) starts to capture an image 10 ms after the more forward camera (camera 504).

As mentioned earlier, a vehicle velocity used to time the cameras may be an average vehicle velocity. Alternatively, the vehicle velocity may be determined in real time by a speedometer, a wheel encoder, or a GPS sensor. The velocity may be signaled to controllers in the cameras, which adjust the timing accordingly.

In a preferred embodiment, the features shown in diagram 500 may be used in conjunction with the features described with respect to FIGS. 2A-C. FIG. 2B describes timing camera exposure in a camera rosette where each camera includes a rolling-shutter CMOS sensor in portrait orientation. In that embodiment, each camera is timed to start exposure when the previous camera begins to scan an region where their fields of view overlap at a distance. Describing the embodiment with respect to FIG. 2B, a delay between when camera 202 starts exposure and when camera 210 starts exposure substantially satisfies the equation:

${t = {{R_{1} \cdot F_{1}} - \frac{D_{12}}{v}}},$

where t is the delay time, R₁ is a rolling-shutter readout time of the first image sensor, F₁ is a percentage of the field of view of the first image sensor which does not overlap with the field of view of the second image sensor, D₁₂ is a distance between an entrance pupil of the first image sensor and an entrance pupil of the second image sensor, and v is a speed of the camera apparatus. It would be recognized that small changes such as small offsets and coefficients may be added to this equation.

In an example given with respect to FIG. 2B, overlap field of view 222 between camera 202 and camera 210 may be 10% of the total field of view of camera 202. In that example, 90% of camera 202's field of view does not overlap with camera 210's field of view. In an example where camera 202's readout time is 100 ms, the delay between the time when camera 202 starts exposure and the time when camera 210 starts exposure may be 90 ms. In other words, the more forward camera (camera 210) starts to capture an image 90 ms after the further rear camera starts to capture an image (camera 202). As a result, cameras with overlapping fields of view capture images of objects in their overlap region at the same time, or from the same vehicle position. This timing is a first-order correction for parallax, in that it prevents the large parallax errors that would result if the objects in the overlap area were captured at very different times and very different vehicle positions, as would happen if the cameras started their rolling shutters simultaneously. However, there remains a smaller parallax error due to the entrance pupils of the cameras not being in the same place.

In an example of the embodiment incorporating both features in diagram 500 and FIGS. 2A-C, the delay time is offset to further reduce spatial parallax. In the example given with respect to FIG. 5, the further rear camera (camera 506) starts to capture an image 10 ms after the more forward camera (camera 504). In the example in FIGS. 2A-C, the more forward camera (camera 210) starts to capture an image 90 ms after the further rear camera starts to capture an image (camera 202). In the combined embodiment, the 90 ms delay is offset by 10 ms. Therefore, the more forward camera starts to capture an image 80 ms after the further rear camera starts to capture an image. This embodiment has reduced spatial parallax, accounting jointly for rolling-shutter readout delay, vehicle velocity, and entrance pupil separation.

In another embodiment, the timing offsets for reduced spatial parallax may only be applied to some of the cameras in a camera rosette. In an example, the offset may be applied to only those cameras pointed sideways from the vehicle motion. The cameras pointed sideways may be the cameras where typical vehicle motion moves the location of the entrance pupil of the more rear camera into the location where the camera took an image in, for example, 0.01 s or less. In this example, spatial parallax of forward-looking and backward-looking portions of the panorama may, not be cancelled by motion parallax, but objects in these directions tend to be distant enough to not have a large parallax problem.

As an alternative embodiment, a rolling shutter with a very fast readout time may be useful. As the shutter readout time becomes faster, the delay computed to account for the rolling shutter (as described in FIGS. 2A-C) decreases. So, at a particular readout time, the delay for the rolling shutter and the offset to account for spatial parallax may cancel each other out. This readout time is the time it takes for the vehicle to move forward a distance equal to the distance between entrance pupils. In an example, a readout time of a first image sensor may be 10 ms. Ninety percent of the first image sensor's field of view may not overlap with a second, next forward-most image sensor. If the vehicle is stationary, the delay time between exposure of the first and second image sensor would be 9 ms. However, if the vehicle is moving at 9 m/s and the distance between the first and second image sensor is 10 cm, then the delay offset due to motion of the vehicle would also be 9 ms. Thus, the offsets would effectively cancel each other out. Similarly, an image sensor with a variable rolling readout time may be used. In that instance, the readout time may be adjusted according to a speed of the vehicle.

FIG. 6 shows a camera rosette 604 affixed to a vehicle 602. Camera rosette 604 includes numerous cameras, such as a camera 606. In an example, camera rosette 604 may be used to capture panoramic images of buildings running along a street.

Each of the cameras in the camera rosette is coupled to a controller 608. As mentioned earlier, controller 608 controls the timing of the exposure of each camera. Controller 608 may receive an input indicating a speed of the vehicle. Alternatively, controller 608 may be preprogrammed with timing offsets, such as offsets based on an average speed of the vehicle. A single controller 608 may be used. Alternatively, each camera may have its own controller.

Controller 608 may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Controller 608 may be, for example, a general purpose computer running software to control the cameras' exposure. Controller 608 may have a processor and memory.

The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.

The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera apparatus for panoramic photography, comprising: a first image sensor positioned to capture a first image, the first image sensor having a rolling-shutter readout arranged to sequentially activate columns of converters that each convert an optical signal into an electrical signal; a second image sensor positioned to capture a second image, the second image sensor having a rolling-shutter readout arranged to sequentially activate columns of converters that each convert an optical signal into an electrical signal; and a controller configured to signal the second image sensor to start capturing the second image before the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image, wherein a delay time between when the second image sensor starts capturing the second image and when the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image corresponds to an amount of overlap between a field of view of the first image sensor and a field of view of the second image sensor, wherein at least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of the camera apparatus.
 2. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to signal the second image sensor to start capturing the second image approximately when the first image sensor starts to capture an overlap of the fields of view of the first and second image sensors.
 3. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delay time is offset according to a velocity value of the camera apparatus to use motion parallax resulting from motion of the camera apparatus to cancel out spatial parallax between the first and second image sensors.
 4. The camera apparatus of claim 3, wherein the velocity value of the camera apparatus is an approximate or average velocity of the camera apparatus.
 5. The camera apparatus of claim 4, wherein the delay time is offset by a time between when an entrance pupil of the first image sensor passes a location and when an entrance pupil of the second image sensor passes the location during forward motion of the camera apparatus.
 6. The camera apparatus of claim 4, wherein the delay time approximately satisfies the following equation: ${t = {{R_{1} \cdot F_{1}} - \frac{D_{12}}{v}}},$ wherein t is the delay time, wherein R₁ is a rolling-shutter readout time of the first image sensor, wherein F₁ is a percentage of the field of view of the first image sensor which does not overlap with the field of view of the second image sensor, wherein D₁₂ is a distance between an entrance pupil of the first image sensor and an entrance pupil of the second image sensor, and wherein v is a speed of the camera apparatus.
 8. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second image sensors are attached to a vehicle.
 9. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image sensor exposes at least a first and second column of the first image sensor, the first column capturing a more rearward portion of the first image and the second column capturing a more forward portion of the first image relative to forward motion of the camera apparatus, wherein the first column of the first image sensor starts exposure before the second column of the first image sensor, wherein the second image sensor exposes at least a first and second column of the second image sensor, the first column capturing a more rearward portion of the second image and the second column capturing a more forward portion of the second image relative to the forward motion of the camera apparatus, and wherein the first column of the second image sensor starts exposure before the second column of the second image sensor.
 10. The camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least six additional image sensors, wherein a computer is able to stitch together images taken from the at least eight total cameras to create a panoramic image.
 11. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second image sensors are CMOS image sensors.
 12. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the delay time between when the second image sensor starts capturing the second image and when the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image to prevent ghosting between the first and second images.
 13. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein each converter is a photodiode.
 14. A method for panoramic photography, comprising: (a) capturing a first image with a first image sensor, the first image sensor having a rolling-shutter readout arranged to sequentially activate columns of converters that each convert an optical signal into an electrical signal; and (b) starting to capture a second image with a second image sensor at a delay time prior to completion of the capturing in (a), the delay time corresponding to an amount of overlap of a field of view of the first image sensor and a field of view of the second image sensor, wherein the second image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in to sequentially activate columns of converters that each convert an optical signal into an electrical signal, wherein at least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of a camera apparatus comprising the first and second image sensors.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the delay time is offset according to a velocity value of the camera apparatus to use motion parallax resulting from motion of the camera apparatus to cancel out spatial parallax between the first and second image sensors.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the delay time is offset by a time between when an entrance pupil of the first image sensor passes a location and when an entrance pupil of the second image sensor passes the location during forward motion of the camera apparatus.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the delay time approximately satisfies the following equation: ${t = {{R_{1} \cdot F_{1}} - \frac{D_{12}}{v}}},$ wherein t is the delay time, wherein R₁ is a rolling-shutter readout time of the first image sensor, wherein F₁ is a percentage of the field of view of the first image sensor which does not overlap with the field of view of the second image sensor, wherein D₁₂ is a distance between an entrance pupil of the first image sensor and an entrance pupil of the second image sensor, and wherein v is a speed of the camera apparatus.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein further comprising: (c) determining the delay time between when the second image sensor starts capturing the second image and when the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image to prevent ghosting between the first and second images.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein each converter is a photodiode. 